Passenger thrown from vehicle, dies at hospital

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By DIANE VALDEN

CANAAN—A Massachusetts woman, who was thrown from a vehicle during a Thanksgiving Day crash at 2240 State Route 295, later died at a hospital.

Columbia County 911 dispatched State Police, the Chatham Rescue Squad and Canaan firefighters with mutual aid from Red Rock to the scene of a personal injury auto accident where a vehicle was reportedly on its side crashed into a utility pole on Route 295 west of Stony Kill Road, Thursday, November 28 at 5:43 p.m.

Troopers arriving on the scene immediately rendered aid to the ejected rearseat passenger, later identified as Sierra Tassone, 20, of Pittsfield, MA. The Chatham Rescue Squad took her to the Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA, where she was later pronounced dead.

The crash investigation indicated that the vehicle operator lost control on the slippery road, overturned, went off the road and struck a utility pole.

Initially, Sarah M. Kucka, 27, of Adams, MA, told police she was the driver. But further investigation revealed Shawn A. Barnwell, 25, of the Bronx had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash with a suspended license.

Mr. Barnwell was issued traffic tickets. Ms. Kucka was subsequently arrested for obstruction of governmental administration, a class A misdemeanor, and sixth degree conspiracy, a class B misdemeanor. She was issued appearance tickets returnable in Canaan Town Court, December 12. This investigation remains ongoing.

Columbia County Emergency Medical Services/ Valatie Rescue transported two people to Berkshire Medical Center. NYSEG was requested to scene and firefighters were back in service at 8:42 p.m., according to 911.

New Lebanon

Two suspects who allegedly ditched a stolen truck in the Brainard area on the Columbia / Rensselaer county line near Route 20 and Route 66 and fled on foot were still on the loose as of December 4, according to State Police.

December 1 at 8:25 a.m., New York State Police assisted the Pittsfield, MA, Police Department with locating a stolen vehicle that traveled into New York.

Troopers found the vehicle in the Dollar General parking lot on Route 20 in New Lebanon.

Two men, described only as white and wearing dark clothing, allegedly refused to comply with State Police commands and took off in the truck. Troopers pursued the vehicle west on Route 20 and then south on County Route 13 in the Brainard area.

The suspect operator lost control of the truck, went off the roadway and became stuck. Troopers approached the vehicle, again issuing commands which were allegedly ignored. The driver was able to free the truck, then allegedly rammed the patrol car while the troopers were getting back in it.

Surveillance photos of two suspects sought in connection with a stolen truck. /State Police

The two suspects abandoned the stolen truck a short distance away from the crash scene on County Route 13 near Kinderhook Lane and fled on foot. Anyone with information about the identity or location of these individuals is asked to contact the New York State Police at 845-677-7300. Refer to case# NY2400955867.

To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com

Watch out for scammers when shopping online

ALBANY—The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection has issued a consumer alert and provides consumers tips to avoid scams while shopping online this holiday season.

In 2023, consumers spent $273.3 billion online during the holiday season nationwide. This year, the National Retail Foundation expects almost one third of consumers’ holiday shopping will be done online. At the same time, consumers reported $95.2 million in losses from online shopping scams to the Federal Trade Commission last October through December. When shopping for holiday gifts, consumers should follow important tips to avoid scammers online.

“The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year for both shoppers and scammers. While online shopping is a convenient way to purchase gifts and find deals, scammers often use this time as an opportunity to take advantage of consumers and steal their information or their hard-earned money. I encourage all New Yorkers to read and follow our tips from the Division of Consumer Protection to help protect themselves from scams and ensure they have a safe and happy holiday,” Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said in a press release.

Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams:

*Beware of fake websites: Scammers often create fake websites to imitate legitimate brands. Carefully review the seller and product before buying. Look out for these fake website red flags:

*Domain name: If the domain name doesn’t match the official company name or website, it could be a scam site

*Check the contact page and website’s privacy policy: The absence of a legitimate (or any) mailing address, working phone number and privacy policy are all red flags for scam sites

*Be careful when shopping on social media: Scammers use social media to set-up fake stores to trick customers into paying for products that never arrive. They may create fake accounts and use recognizable brand names and logos to advertise fake clearance sales on social media feeds. Scammers use tactics to make their stores appear authentic and may offer products at unusually low prices. If an offer seems too good to be true, it usually is. Always search for reviews before purchasing. Don’t purchase a product directly from the social media site or a link you find on the site. Instead, open a new browser and make your purchase through the retailer’s website

*Watch out for third-party seller scams: Confirm the legitimacy of the seller if shopping in an online marketplace. If redirected from a trusted site to a third-party site, read the seller’s policies and reviews, look for any consumer comments and, most importantly, do a broad internet search on the seller before making your purchase. Warranties from trusted sites do not cover third party sellers they host, so you could be unprotected if you get a substandard product or no product at all when you order from an unknown third-party vendor

*Read product specifications and terms: Make sure you read product descriptions carefully, including the fine print. It’s important to understand what you’re purchasing and the terms of sale to ensure you are getting what you want.

*Learn how to spot a fake review: Fake reviews are not always obvious, so look at reviews from a variety of different sources to better understand the product, brand or seller. Look out for these red flags:

*One-sided reviews with no specific details: Real reviews often reflect customer experiences that are balanced, descriptive and subjective. Remember that not all fake reviews are positive

*Multiple reviews that look very similar and posted during the same timeframe: This is a sign that the reviewers are either copying information or were all written by the same person

*Bare user profiles: Be wary of new reviewers that don’t have much information on their profiles and only leave one-sided reviews. Research on hotel reviews found that legitimate reviewers were more likely to have profile pictures than fake reviewers

*Check for return policies: Avoid sellers with vague, missing or exceedingly limited return or refund policies. Before making a purchase, make sure you know who pays shipping costs for returns and any time limits for making returns.

The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection. The Division can also be reached via X at @NYSConsumer or Facebook.

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